United States: Google Maps will display “Lake America” instead of “Lake Ontario” for users in the United States following President Donald Trump’s executive order changing the lake’s official US name, Google said.
The change applies only to Google Maps users in the United States. Users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario,” while users elsewhere will see both names, according to Google.
Trump’s executive order changes the name recorded in the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the federal database used for official US geographic naming. The order does not alter Canada’s naming of the lake or international usage.
The renaming comes amid heightened trade tensions between the United States and Canada, with both countries imposing tariffs on billions of dollars in goods.
Why is Google Maps changing the lake’s name?
Google said it updates Maps to reflect geographic name changes recorded in official government sources. For US users, the GNIS designation will therefore appear as “Lake America.”
Google made a similar change last year when it updated the name of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” for users in the United States following another Trump executive order.
How has Canada responded to the renaming?
Canadian officials have rejected the name change. Prime Minister Mark Carney opposed Trump’s decision, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a lakeside sign reading “Lake Ontario: Now and Always” in English and French.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also said her state would continue using “Lake Ontario,” while Vermont Governor Phil Scott criticised the decision.
The name change has no effect on Canadian maps or official Canadian geographic naming.